# 3987
David Brown of the Washington Post has a terrific in-depth look today at swine flu viruses, and the hazards they may present to public health.
My thanks and a hat tip to @CP_Branswell on Twitter for mentioning this report.
Back where virus started, new scrutiny of pig farming
By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 25, 2009TIPTON, IOWA -- It may be crowded and carpeted in manure, but the long, white building beside State Route 38 is one of the most pathogen-free homes a pig could have.
The animals never know the feel of grass, mud or sunshine, and hardly the touch of man, in their six months of life. But they are also free of many of the infections that slow the growth and occasionally end the lives of their outdoor cousins.
"We're producing the most efficient animal, one that is healthy every day," said Devon Schott, the 34-year-old farmer who owns the building. To do that, he said, "biosecurity is of utmost importance."
Despite the buttoned-up methods of farmers such as Schott, many experts think pig farming presents a serious and overlooked risk to public health. Proof of that assertion -- indirect but indisputable, in the opinion of virologists -- is the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza.
Little is known about the origin of the novel H1N1. But one thing is virtually certain: The bug now infecting the people of more than 190 countries began in a pig.
What follows is an examination of the recent history of swine flu viruses, including cases where it has jumped to humans, and discussion of the need for greater surveillance.
Highly recommended.
* * * * * * * * * * *
With growing reluctance on the part of herd owners to test for diseases (see Swine Flu: Don’t Test, Don’t Tell), our ability to track and follow emerging flu viruses is severely limited.
Recent outbreaks of novel H1N1 in places like Japan, Ireland, the UK, Canada, and Norway underscore the importance of enhanced surveillance.
Recent blogs on this subject include:
Japan Testing Swine For Suspected H1N1
Referral: Effect Measure On Human Swine Flu In Pigs
Norway: Swine Flu Infects 14 Farms
You’ll also find a damning assessment of factory farming techniques in Dr. Michael Greger’s most recent video, available online, called Flu Factories.
Dr. Michael Greger Lecture
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